Rosario Red
by Nate Grey
Summary: The Maaka siblings transfer to Youkai Academy as Moka's guests. 'Normal' vampires can't cause too much trouble, right?
1. New Students

Notes: A certain relaxing of the "rules" is necessary, since I'm combining elements of two different vampire series. So there will be a few surprises.

Summary: The Maaka siblings transfer into Youkai Academy as Moka's guests. Surely 'normal' vampires can't disrupt things too much, right? Tsukune and the girls are of a different opinion.

* * *

**Rosario Red**

**A Karin / Rosario and Vampire Crossover by**

**Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Chapter 1: New Students**

* * *

Tsukune didn't like to admit it, but his life had fallen into something of a routine (despite how far from normal it actually was). He went to class with Moka (and got molested a bit along the way), sat in class with Moka (and got molested some more), and walked back to his dorm (with some molesting thrown in just to keep up the pattern). It wasn't entirely unwelcome molesting, though. Deep down, Tsukune understood that Kurumu, Mizore, and Yukari all loved him, perhaps just as deeply as Moka did. But that was part of the reason why he had yet to make his feelings known. They were all his cherished friends, and he didn't look forward to hurting any of them. Yet he also knew that the constant interference would eventually hurt his relationship with Moka, and that was the bond that he treasured above all others.

Moka's frustration was obvious, but being Moka (or at least the kinder Moka, anyway), she had not pressured Tsukune to make a choice in some time. She was happy with the arrangement, but clearly not as happy as she could be.

It was utterly pointless to ask the other girls to back off: Kurumu always took great offense, Yukari would threaten to burst into tears, and while Mizore could be convinced to step back, it was only so she could stare from the nearest conveniently located bush.

Tsukune was beginning to fear that the pattern would never change. When it did, however, not only was he completely unprepared for it, but so were the girls. And while Tsukune would never admit it out loud, anything that could dislodge the girls from him for more than five minutes was just fine with him.

* * *

Moka was ten minutes late that morning. This was not terribly odd, but odd enough that Tsukune began to worry. Partially because he was concerned, but also because this meant he was alone with Kurumu for three solid minutes, in which time he very nearly lost his clothing, free will, and virginity. Thankfully, he was somehow still fully dressed (yet thoroughly groped) by the time Moka finally did show up.

Only, she didn't show up alone.

There were three other people with her: two girls and an older boy, all wearing school uniforms, falsely bright smiles. Tsukune noticed with growing alarm that the older girl wore a blood-red rosario around her neck.

"Um, good morning, Tsukune, Kurumu-chan," Moka said, laughing nervously and giving them a little wave. "Sorry I'm late, but I'm helping my cousins here adjust. They're transfer students, you see."

Tsukune wasn't sure what to think as he looked at the newcomers. They did not seem especially threatening, but then, he'd thought the same thing about each of the girls, and had been proven wrong over and over again.

Kurumu frowned and clung tightly to Tsukune's arm. "So they're all S-Class vampires, too?" she asked, fearing more competition for Tsukune, especially from the busty redhead in the middle.

"Oh, no, of course not!" Moka said quickly. "Well, that is, they aren't S-Class..."

Kurumu's eyes narrowed. "But they ARE vampires!"

"Yes," Moka agreed easily enough. "Is that really so surprising? Don't you have friends among your own kind, Kurumu-chan?"

Kurumu frowned, since the answer to that was a firm no. Succubi were highly competitive, and barely got along with their own relatives. Friends were almost entirely out of the question.

Starting to feel the tension in the air, Tsukune stepped forward to introduce himself, but was dragged away by a surprisingly determined Kurumu.

Moka watched them go with a frown. "This might be harder than I thought. But I don't understand it. Why would Kurumu-chan act that way? I thought she trusted me."

A small hand tugged lightly on Moka's skirt. "Moka onee-sama, we're going to be late."

Moka blinked and looked down at her smallest companion. "Ah, you're right, Anju-chan. I'm sorry." She started walking, not even noticing that she wasn't immediately followed.

Anju turned to the redhead. "Onee-chan, she said she had lots of friends. So why does she look so lonely?"

The older girl shook her head. "I'm not really sure, Anju."

"It's because she's involved with that human," the young man said, sounding disgusted as he walked past them. "I warned you two that no good can come of it. Now you see what it can do to even the mightiest of our kind. Such a waste."

* * *

If Tsukune felt crowded before, he felt absolutely smothered now. He hadn't been able to shake Kurumu off until they were in homeroom, and that was only because it was physically impossible for them to share the same desk. Yukari and Mizore hadn't approved, at least, not until Kurumu had told them about the two new female students. Then the two girls had run off to "secure the perimeter," whatever that meant. Tsukune figured they wouldn't do anything too terrible, since Moka was with the new students. That didn't really keep him from worrying, though.

He was very much relieved when Nekonome asked the class to quiet down so she could introduce the new students. That meant they'd survived, so far.

"I understand that our three transfer students are being sponsored by Akashiya Moka-san's family, so be sure to show them the same respect that you've shown her. Let's see, first is Maaka Anju. If she seems a little young, it's because she tested well above her grade level, so we're extremely proud to have her here with us!"

The classroom door slid open, and a small girl with long, silver hair walked in, dressed entirely in black. She immediately drew the class's attention, less because of how short and cute she was, and more because of the odd doll she was carrying. Instead of stopping in front of the classroom to introduce herself, Anju proceeded through the desks directly to Moka, who lifted the girl into her lap without even a trace of discomfort.

"Um, next we have Maaka Karin," Nekonome continued. "It says here that she suffers from frequent fainting spells and nosebleeds, so I would ask you all to be extra considerate of her needs."

The response to Karin's entrance was mixed: some students licked their lips at the thought of a cute girl who regularly spewed blood, and others licked their lips at the thought of a cute, top-heavy girl that fainted regularly. Karin did at least stay at the front of the room so others could see her, but looked rather nervous as she bowed and murmured, "Please take good care of me!"

"Finally, we have-"

"Maaka Ren, and that's all you need to know," interrupted the young man that walked in and slammed the door shut. He was greeted by an immediate chorus of heartfelt sighs from the female students, but largely ignored them due to his foul mood (although some might've considered it a foul nature overall).

Nekonome frowned a little. "But I haven't even-"

Ren cut her off with a sharp look... one that quickly turned into sly smile. "Neko-sensei, teaching this class must be very... stressful for you."

The teacher blinked, her ears twitching as blood rushed into her cheeks. "W-Well, maybe a little. And please, it's Nekonome-sensei!"

"We are free to choose our own seats, correct?" Ren moved before she could answer, comfortably seating himself at her desk.

Nekonome pouted childishly. "Maaka-san, that's my seat!"

"I know," Ren replied calmly. "I just want to be as close to you as possible, Neko-sensei. Purely for learning purposes, of course. Hopefully, your irresistible beauty won't be too much of a distraction for me. You don't mind, do you?"

"S-So long as you're learning," Nekonome stammered, curling and uncurling her tail anxiously.

"Oh, I am," Ren said softly and seductively, causing several girls in the front row to swoon. He frowned abruptly, noticing the disapproving stare Karin was giving him, and rolled his eyes. "Neko-sensei, we should all take our seats now, shouldn't we? Please remind my sister of this, as she can be a little slow at times."

"Oh, yes!" Nekonome quickly agreed, turning to Karin. "Maaka-san number two, please go ahead and find a seat."

Karin opened her mouth to protest, noticed the way Nekonome was glancing fondly at Ren, and promptly gave up. Sighing, she walked to the back of the classroom, where several boys instantly jumped up and offered their seats to her. Karin took the one in front of Kurumu, who scowled and looked the other way.

From then on, class proceeded as normal... except for the frequent interruptions when Ren would "accidentally" stroke Nekonome's tail and make her forget what she was lecturing about.

* * *

Tsukune had noticed that the new vampires were fitting in rather well... sort of.

Ren was a big hit with the girls, although he only seemed interested in their teacher. Somehow, though, Tsukune doubted that Ren was a model student.

Anju and Karin didn't seem too concerned with making friends. Anju rarely let go of Moka for more than a few minutes, and when she did, she would vanish suddenly and return just as abruptly moments later, with no explanation of where she'd gone. Tsukune caught the little girl staring at him a few times, though she did not appear to be hostile, just observant.

Karin's illness must have been quite a bother, because she was visibly nervous and jumpy most of the time. Throughout the day, Tsukune saw her clamp her hand over her nose with little warning. Moka would then grab Karin and haul her to the nearest restroom. They'd done this at least four times before lunch, but Karin did seem a little calmer when she returned from these trips.

So did Moka, for that matter.

Tsukune was so distracted by the new students that he almost completely forgot about the one part of his routine that remained fairly constant. He didn't remember until lunch, when Moka sat down next to him with a tray filled with regular food.

"Oh, Moka-san, I'm sorry!" Tsukune apologized at once. "You didn't get to have your, um, breakfast today, did you?" he asked, laughing nervously and tugging at his collar.

Moka blinked slowly, then shook her head and smiled. "It's sweet of you to offer, Tsukune, but I'm fine. I'm actually quite full today." With that, she slid her tray over to Karin and Anju, who stared at its contents for a moment before picking out what they wanted.

Tsukune just stared at Moka curiously. For her to be full, she'd have to have gotten a lot of blood to drink. And while he trusted Moka completely not to hurt anyone without excellent reason, the idea bothered him. He couldn't ever recall her saying that she was full, just satisfied. "A-Are you sure you don't want a little, Moka-san? I mean, I don't mind. Much. Not really."

Moka hesitated before answering. "I-I shouldn't, Tsukune."

He frowned. "Why not?"

"Because I really AM full, and if I bit you right now, it would just be an excuse to nibble on your neck, and I don't think Kurumu-chan would appreciate that much."

Tsukune's mouth fell open. "O-Oh. I see," he murmured slowly. Currently, Kurumu was off re-training her mob of boys to be more obedient, after that morning's sudden betrayal. "Well, is this new source somehow tastier to you?"

For no reason that he could see, Karin suddenly fumbled the apple she was holding, her face nearly as red as her hair.

Moka looked at the girl in alarm. "Karin, do you need to...?"

"N-No!" Karin blurted out, shaking her head wildly. "I'm fine, really!"

No one said anything for several seconds, until Anju finally sighed.

"Tsukune-san, there is no need to feel uneasy," she said. "Moka onee-sama's alternate source was selected only out of convenience and necessity, not flavor. She still prefers your taste."

It was Tsukune's turn to go bright red. "Uh, she told you that?"

"It's something a relative should know, in case of emergency."

Tsukune could certainly understand that, as emergencies seemed to happen on a daily basis in Youkai Academy. But he was a little concerned about Moka being so open with other vampires. What if they wanted to taste him, too? He was tempted to ask right then, but convinced himself that Moka would warn him if that were ever the case.

Although he still jumped a little when both Karin and Anju asked for seconds.

* * *

Mizore was not sure what to make of the new vampires, at first. It had been fairly easy to figure out what they were: Karin's rosario, Ren's unmistakable sway over girls, and the way Anju clung to Moka were all dead giveaways. So long as none of them were actively pursuing Tsukune, or otherwise causing problems for him, she was willing to overlook them.

Except that she couldn't, because without warning, she began to find bats in all of the best hiding places around the school. Granted, they were highly indifferent bats, and did not seem at all bothered by the subzero temperatures that tended to surrounded Mizore at odd intervals. She had actually poked one several times, and its only reaction had been to brush her finger away with a wing, as if she were only a slight annoyance. It was in this way that Mizore figured out what the bats were so absorbed in: they were observing the students.

Well, that was wrong. They were observing certain students: the Maaka siblings, Moka, and, to a certain extent, Tsukune (practically unavoidable if one were watching Moka).

Mizore was concerned, naturally. That is, until Anju walked up to her shortly after lunch, carrying a pair of expensive night vision binoculars, and said, "I'll give you these if you stop poking my bats, and agree to share your hiding spots."

Five minutes later, Mizore, Anju, and several bats were hidden behind a bush, watching as Tsukune, Moka, Kurumu, and Karin walked past on their way back to class.

Moka glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "It's good that Anju-chan is making friends already, isn't it?"

Karin murmured her agreement, but Kurumu just scowled, clutched Tsukune's arm a little tighter, and refused to respond.

* * *

Nekonome was surprisingly strict with every latecomer returning from lunch, and her tail was as stiff as a board.

Ren no longer interrupted her lessons, but there was a large, satisfied smile on his face, and for some reason, his eyes kept straying to the two, new, tiny moles on the teacher's neck...

* * *

Yukari didn't normally skip class, but she felt that an exception was necessary this time. The new vampires had proven quite resilient to her efforts to separate them from Moka. Any pots and pans dropped on them were always caught by some rather conveniently located bats.

Ren, at least, seemed obsessed with the teacher, so that was a small relief. But Karin was around Moka almost as much as Tsukune was, and Anju even got hold Moka's hand and sit in her lap!

Moka wouldn't even let Yukari hug her for five minutes straight (although there was admittedly some minor groping involved), so it hurt to see that some other girl her size had somehow gotten closer to Moka than Yukari ever had.

So Yukari had decided to step up her game a bit, and take more drastic measures. First, she went to the library to do some research on vampires. She knew many things about Moka, of course, but the Maakas were clearly a bit different from her. If nothing else, only Karin wore a rosario, and Yukari suspected it served a slightly different function than Moka's. From the little Moka had mentioned about her family, most of them had similar or greater power than her own, so it seemed odd that Karin would need to contain her true power while her siblings would not.

Even though Yukari found several books on vampires right away, most of it was information that she already knew. Surprisingly, Yukari found the most relevant passage in a book by a human author, who seemed especially knowledgeable on the subject, all things considered.

"'The vampire is a largely misunderstood creature, due partially to their natural mystique and aloofness, as well as the frequent demonization of their kind by humans and fellow monsters alike. Perhaps the greatest misconception is that all vampires are terribly powerful and wicked. This is completely false. Some vampires, especially those that are converted rather than naturally born, are barely any stronger than humans. There are even vampires that live among humans in plain sight, taking only as much blood as is necessary, and generally going entirely unnoticed. The explanation for this is rather simple: vampires can vary greatly in power and disposition. There exist in this world vampires so beyond normal measure that they simply cannot die or remain dead for very long. At the same time, there are vampires who are quite mortal and display a wide range of weaknesses. Knowing the difference is usually, ironically enough, something only an experienced vampire hunter would have a talent for.'"

Yukari grinned as she snapped the book shut. "This is perfect! The reason they're so different from Moka must be because they aren't as strong as her! They must need her to protect them! That's why that Anju is so clingy! I bet it'll be easy to separate them, once I-"

"I cannot allow that."

Yukari spun around to see Ren standing beside her chair, eyeing her like she was a rather curious bug that needed to be squashed. "What are you doing here?!"

"Stopping you from making a very poor choice in judgment, apparently." Ren narrowed his eyes. "I will be the first to admit that my sisters are nuisances. But they are my nuisances, and I will be the one to correct them when necessary. You will not interfere with us, little witch. Our connection to Moka is strictly vampire business."

"Moka belongs to ME!" Yukari snapped, glaring up at him.

He blinked and snorted loudly. "I highly doubt that. She seems far more attached to this... Tsukune boy, for some unknown reason."

Yukari sighed happily. "It's because he's cute, and sweet, and-"

"Not you," Ren murmured.

Her face fell. "So what? Moka will realize her feelings for me soon enough! You'll see!"

"All I see is a very lonely little girl. The only people you can call your friends are those constantly competing for Tsukune's heart. Personally, I find that rather tragic. One might even say you must be quite... stressed."

"I'm not stressed!" Yukari shouted, but she couldn't deny that her eyes were tearing up a bit.

"There, there, my dear," Ren pretended to sigh, patting her shoulder with very little intent to comfort. But by then, Yukari was only a step away from full-on blubbering, so it didn't matter much.

"Why... don't... they... love... me?" she sniffled, just before burying her head in his chest and sobbing loudly.

"I'm sure I don't know. I find you..." Ren paused, sniffed carefully, and scowled. "...absolutely delectable," he lied.

"R-Really?" she asked, lifting her head to reveal huge, watery eyes and an extremely runny nose.

"Sure," Ren replied, and the moment that Yukari closed her eyes in relief, he revealed his fangs and went straight for her neck.

He was done with his less than satisfactory meal, and the necessary clean-up, in just over five minutes. By then, Nekonome had joined him, and was staring at the unconscious Yukari unhappily as Ren propped her up in the chair.

"Did you have to bite her?" the teacher asked.

He scowled. "I didn't want to. She isn't really my type. I prefer more maturity in my meals."

"You didn't hesitate very long, though."

"Relax, Neko-sensei. It was necessary," Ren explained as he placed his hand on Yukari's forehead. "Now that I have bitten her, she will be more confident and less likely to cause serious problems for my sisters and I. Rest assured that you remain my favorite school time snack."

Nekonome blushed, her ears twitching happily. "So what are you going to do with her now?"

"Now that I've erased her memory of this event, nothing." Ren reconsidered as he spotted the book she'd been reading. He picked it up and frowned. "Perhaps you should keep this in your desk for a while, Neko-sensei, just in case."

More than a little curious, she accepted the book and looked at the cover. "'A Truthful History of Vampires, by F. Belmont.' I don't think I've seen this one in the library before..."

"Because it shouldn't be there to begin with," Ren pointed out, sounding mildly irritated. "The last thing that everyone needs to know about vampires is the truth."

* * *

The moment that class ended for the day, Kurumu forcefully attached herself to Tsukune's arm and dragged him outside, ignoring all of his protests and yelps of pain until they were completely alone.

"Tsukune, I don't want you near those vampires anymore!" Kurumu snapped.

"But they're harmless," Tsukune said. "Karin-san's even sick, so-"

"I don't care! Stay away from them! There's something really odd about them!"

"Like what?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"When's the last time you even heard of a vampire that got sick?!"

This was actually a very good point, Tsukune realized. "Well, I guess they're more like humans that most of us realize. They get sick. Eventually. Maybe..."

"And nosebleeds, of all things! Have you EVER heard of a vampire that leaked blood?"

"No, but Karin-san doesn't seem like she-"

Kurumu glared at him. "Tsukune, who are you going to trust, some strange vampire you don't know, or me?"

Tsukune didn't really want to trust either one at the moment. Kurumu came on strong sometimes, but this wasn't like her at all. "Moka-san likes them well enough. You trust her, don't you?" he countered.

She frowned and sighed. "To a point, but Moka's way too nice. Even if they were up to something, she'd be the last to realize it. That's why WE have to be REALLY suspicious of them, because she won't be!"

"Are you sure you're not just jealous?" Tsukune asked.

Her eyes narrowed. "Of what?" she demanded.

"W-Well, I know Moka-san is your best friend, and she hasn't had much time for you since they came, but-"

"She hasn't had much time for you, either, has she?" Kurumu was quick to point out.

Tsukune shook his head. "Actually, we were together most of the day, when you weren't dragging me away. Karin-san and Anju-chan were with us most of that time, though."

"And that doesn't bother you?"

"Not really. They seem nice enough. I think they even helped Moka-san find another source of blood."

Kurumu's eyes lit up. "Really! So she won't be sucking you dry anymore? But that means that she'll be biting someone else. Did she say who?"

"No, she didn't," Tsukune said softly, feeling uneasy. "Anju-chan only said it was more convenient, and necessary for Moka-san."

"Oh? So there's some guy that Moka just HAS to feed on, instead of you?" Kurumu asked, barely resisting the urge to smirk. "My poor Tsukune," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him close. "I would NEVER cheat on you."

Tsukune resisted her, but only slightly. "But, how can you say that? You have all those boys as your, um, servants."

"They don't MEAN anything to me, though," Kurumu replied. "They're a luxury, not a necessity." She looked straight into his eyes, and for once, made no attempt to use her charm powers. "I'd give them all up if you wanted to be my boyfriend, Tsukune," Kurumu told him in complete honesty.

Tsukune didn't want to believe her, but he did. Despite being with Moka most of the day, he just didn't feel the same closeness with her that he usually enjoyed. She had been so preoccupied with what Karin and Anju had been doing, which he could understand. But if Moka was going to be so busy taking care of her family that there was no room for him left in her life, Tsukune thought it might be best to consider other options. And despite some of Kurumu's past antics, she had never assigned him second place in her heart.

"D-Do you really mean that?" Tsukune whispered, blinking away the start of tears at the idea of losing Moka.

"Let my lips tell you all you need to know, Tsukune," Kurumu whispered, drawing his mouth down to hers. There was no enchantment, and no magic other than that created by the fusion of their desire for each other. Kurumu poured her heart and soul into the kiss, willing Tsukune to experience and respond to her feelings. She never would've guessed before then, but it was far more potent that any charm she'd ever used on him.

Tsukune believed, in his heart of hearts, that he loved Moka and Kurumu both, and that they felt the same for him. But while Kurumu took every chance to express that love as much as possible, Moka always held back. He would never blame her for choosing family over him, nor did he think Moka would expect him to wait for her. He was human, after all, so chances were that Karin and Anju would be around long after he was dead. Moka would want him to be happy, even if it was with someone else.

Aside from that, he simply wanted to be with someone that was devoted entirely to him, so that he would be free to do the same for them, and not feel shortchanged.

For that reason, Tsukune pushed thoughts of Moka away, and gave himself fully to the pleasure that Kurumu offered.

Neither of them noticed Mizore several feet away, a stricken look on her face, nor the small army of bats that held her back from doing something that none of her friends would ever forgive.

* * *

Gin was no stranger to the girls' restrooms at Youkai Academy. One might even say that he was intimately familiar with them, due to various stake-outs he'd performed (all for purely journalistic reasons, of course). Needless to say, he was quite curious about new girls in general, and Karin in particular. He hadn't gotten the chance to meet her yet: Karin had been with Moka all day, and for whatever reason, Moka had not bothered to introduce them.

But Gin was nothing if not determined. He had noticed that Karin used the restrooms a lot, and more often than not, Moka accompanied her inside. That was typical girl behavior, but the frequency was a bit suspicious. Surely Karin couldn't need Moka's help every single time that nature called. After all, how difficult could it be to manage a nosebleed alone?

Shortly after classes let out for the day, Gin tracked Moka and Karin to a restroom on the second floor. Fortunately, that restroom had a window, and there was a tree branch just strong enough to support Gin's weight right outside. Armed with his trusty camera, Gin scrambled up into the tree, aimed, and began to click rapidly.

The sight that awaited him was so startling that his head rocked back, his nose shooting out twins streams of blood, just before he fell out of the tree. He might have seriously hurt himself, if not for the thick cloud of bats that caught him just in time. They lowered him carefully to the ground, even as several photos floated down after them.

A small hand picked up one of the photos, and the owner studied it carefully. "He cannot remember this. It would cause many problems for us."

"Are you going to kill him, Anju? Can I do it?"

"No, Boogie-kun," Anju answered. "We simply have to make sure there is no evidence. His memory must be erased, and no one else can see these pictures. We cannot place any further burdens on Moka onee-sama."

"Looks to me like she doesn't mind having one of us around, at least," the doll pointed out.

Anju said nothing, merely staring at the photo in her hand. To Gin's eyes, it must have looked like Moka was kissing Karin passionately, and with a great deal of force. He was far too much of a pervert to ever notice that Moka's mouth was actually on Karin's nose, and that the kiss was actually more of a seal, to prevent blood from spraying everywhere. Karin's thoroughly red face didn't help matters much, nor did the way that Moka was carefully cradling Karin's head in her hands.

It would've been so easy to make an incorrect assumption from the photo, which was all the more reason to ensure that no one did. But even as her bats collected the pictures, Anju couldn't help worrying over the spark of jealousy that she suddenly felt. Even worse, she had no idea who she was more jealous of.

**End of Part 1.**

* * *

**Next Chapter: A Handy Trick**

"Maybe you shouldn't," Tsukune began to say, his eyes wide with alarm, "if it's really that dangerous, then-"

"We must," Anju interrupted, sounding perfectly calm as she watched the enormous minotaur stomp towards them. "Moka onee-sama would cry if you were hurt." With that, she reached up and tugged off Karin's red rosario.

* * *

**Endnotes** (or some points I may need to explain):

I was in a random forum the other day doing research for this, and came upon a topic titled "Real Vampires vs. Super Vampires." At no point was Moka mentioned, but there were some rather enlightening points. It basically boils down to two types of vampires: those that can die and have limited powers, and those that are super powerful and either never seem to die or can't stay dead for long. So I'm more or less working under the assumption that while the vampire race in general are not S-Class, a small number of them (like Moka and her family) are. The Maaka Clan would fall under the "normal" vampire category: they can die, and have limited powers. Naturally, Karin's rosario doesn't serve the exact same purpose as Moka's.


	2. A Handy Trick

Notes: Sorry for the delay, lots of obstacles lately. Seems like the only way for me to preserve formatting anymore is through old school RTF. I can live with it.

* * *

**Rosario Red**

**A Karin / Rosario and Vampire Crossover by**

**Nate Grey (xman0123-at-aol-dot-com)**

**Part 2: A Handy Trick**

* * *

"We're going to be late for school, you know."

Karin slowly looked up at her brother from her seat on Moka's bed, unable to decide why he'd said that. "When has that ever bothered you?"

Ren scowled at her. "It doesn't. But in case you hadn't noticed, we've been rather busy since we arrived here, and every moment that we don't have our eyes on these simpletons is another chance for them to royally screw things up."

"I guess," Karin murmured. "But I was thinking about skipping class today. The morning ones, at least."

Ren said nothing as he stared at Karin, and more importantly, the sleeping form of Anju, resting with her head in Karin's lap. They had all expected to be kept busy, but neither of the older siblings had thought that Anju would be doing most of the work, and on the very first day, no less. She'd worn herself out looking after Moka's friends (Ren still firmly thought of them as pawns, much to Karin's distaste).

"You can't skip class," Ren said at last. "Moka would have to stay here to drink your excess blood. And if that icy friend of hers hangs around all day, you'll be overflowing nonstop."

Karin frowned at the reminder. Anju had returned to Moka's dorm room late last night, dragging an inconsolable Mizore with her. Virtually anything that reminded Mizore of Tsukune or Kurumu sent her into a jealous rage, and if Karin hadn't managed to yank Moka's rosario off at the last minute, they might have all been turned into either pin cushions or popsicles. It wouldn't have killed them, but it certainly would've been very uncomfortable. As it was, Moka had been forced to remain in her true form overnight, holding Mizore and whispering comforting words in her ear. Mizore had calmed down, but not to the extent where Moka was ready to leave her alone.

Ren thought it very strange, that even Moka's true form seemed to treasure her friends, and had said as much to her.

Moka's response had been a slight but meaningful reprimand: she'd flicked him in the center of his forehead, soft enough not to send him flying, but hard enough that his normally immaculate face would have a dark bruise for at least a day or two. "Know your place," was all she'd said before turning her attention back to Mizore.

But Ren was right about one thing: Mizore was unhappy enough that Karin was having trouble being around her without spewing blood. Though Karin wanted to stay with Anju, it really would be better to go to class. There were bound to be other unhappy people in class, but probably none so unhappy as Mizore was right now.

"So, what are you going to do?" Ren asked. "You won't help anything by staying here, and Anju is probably going to sleep through the day no matter what you do. You might as well make yourself useful and keep on eye on that idiot boy."

"Tsukune-san," Karin corrected automatically.

"Do I look like I care what his name is?" Ren snapped. "Just watch him!"

Karin sighed, gently lifted Anju's head so that she could stand, and carefully replaced Anju's head on the pillow. "I don't feel right just leaving her like this."

Ren shook his head. "We can always check on Anju between classes. And I doubt anyone would be stupid enough to barge into Moka's room."

Karin was about to protest again when the door opened, revealing Moka, still in her unsealed form, with a supportive arm wrapped around Mizore's waist. Mizore had no visible reaction to their presence, but Moka looked surprised, if only for an instant.

"Why are you both still here?" Moka asked as she helped Mizore over to the bed. "Classes will begin soon."

"I didn't want to leave Anju all by herself," Karin confessed. "I know she doesn't need to be babied anymore, but-"

Moka stopped Karin by gently squeezing her shoulder. "There is no need to explain, Karin. You never have to explain caring for your sister to me. She is precious to me as well, as are each of you. I will stay with Anju today. You two should go to class."

By Moka's tone, it was not an order, but Ren and Karin still took it as one. Moka could easily force them to do as she wished, but in the end, they were under her protection, and disobeying her was not wise. Not that Moka would ever harm them, but it had been her father that placed them with her, and whatever his reasons for that, Lord Akashiya was not at all fond of the Maaka Clan. He and their father, Henry, hated each other and had little in common, yet both had agreed that their children should meet. Despite the obvious tension, Moka had welcomed them warmly, insisting that they were all family.

Ren immediately headed out the door, but Karin hung back, noticing that Mizore had stretched out beside Anju and was staring blankly at the ceiling.

Moka noticed the direction of her gaze. "Don't be concerned. She's far better than she was last night. Ask her yourself."

Karin blinked and hesitantly asked, "Are you feeling any better, Mizore-san?"

Mizore's eyes slowly shifted to her. "A little. For now, I want to stay here and help protect Anju-chan." A grimace briefly flashed across her face. "She's one of the few true friends I have left."

"I'm sure my sister would appreciate that," Karin replied with a warm smile.

Mizore nodded a bit, but her eyes had already returned to staring at the ceiling.

"Moka, if you're going to stay in that form all day," Karin began, only to gasp as Moka abruptly replaced her rosario and returned to her sealed form.

"Yes?" Moka asked sweetly, placing one hand against the wall to steady herself.

"Um, I was going to say you should have a big breakfast," Karin murmured. "You just need to think of something that makes you unhappy first, and then-"

"Okay."

Karin's knees nearly buckled at the wave of unhappiness that instantly rolled over her. Most of the blood in her body surged to her nose, which she quickly clapped her hands over. Not for the first time, she was amazed at just how unhappy a normally cheerful girl like Moka could truly be. Of course, Moka's feelings had never been so potent as they were today. Karin knew it had to be because of Tsukune and Kurumu, and though they were Moka's friends, Karin wished that Moka had never met them. Kurumu in particular was more rival than friend, and Tsukune wasn't vocal enough about what he wanted, especially when it came to Moka. They only seemed to needlessly complicate and interrupt Moka's life, and based on Anju's observations, Moka was only ever genuinely happy among her own kind. Even worse, while Tsukune actually did have the potential to make Moka happy, he would never manage it, due to his indecisiveness.

"Was that enough?" Moka asked, staring at Karin expectantly.

"More than enough," Karin gasped. "What did you think about?"

"Tsukune," Moka admitted quietly.

Karin winced and tilted her head back, still gripping her nose tightly. "Well, whenever you're ready."

Moka carefully slipped her hands beneath Karin's, drawing their faces close together. "Just tap me if I hurt you."

Karin didn't understand why Moka always said that before feeding on her blood. There was no risk of Moka taking too much blood, as Karin's body produced far too much on a daily basis, anyway. It certainly would've been normal for Moka to become too eager around such a plentiful source, but she never had. She was always extremely cautious, and above all, gentle. If not for the fact that the physical act looked so suggestive, Karin would've actually enjoyed the intimacy.

The whole thing was over quickly, because the next thing Karin knew, she was staring straight ahead while Moka gently patted her cheek and called her name.

"Karin? Can you hear me? Karin?"

"O-Oh," Karin stammered, blinking rapidly. "Sorry. I was, um, daydreaming," she lied.

Moka didn't comment on that as she released the slightly smaller girl. "Well, thanks for the meal. If you hurry, you should still be able to catch up to Ren."

Karin made a face, as if to ask why she would want to catch up to her brother, then sighed and hurried out.

Moka sat down on the bed, glancing first at Anju, then Mizore, and finally the doll sitting on Anju's stomach. "Boogie-kun, was there ever a doll you were afraid that Anju might like more than you?"

"Yes, Moka-sama," Boogie replied.

"Really? What happened to it?"

"I did," Boogie replied, waving his knife a little.

"Oh," Moka muttered. "Forget I asked, then."

"Does that mean I can't kill-?"

"Yes, that's what it means, Boogie-kun," Moka interrupted, shaking her head.

"There's no point in having Tsukune killed," Mizore noted dully. "He's been alone with Kurumu for several hours. By now, he's probably been smothered to death."

* * *

Although Tsukune would never admit it to anyone, he was terrified of Kurumu's breasts. It was just that they were so soft, so warm, and so sweet-smelling that he feared he might actually let himself be smothered to death by them. Kurumu certainly didn't help matters by throwing them in his face every chance that she got.

But that had been yesterday, before they kissed. Now, Tsukune was still afraid of her breasts, but Kurumu no longer assaulted him with them. Having seen how successful her genuine feelings were, Kurumu was now perfectly honest about everything with Tsukune. He had thought this was a good thing, at first. But Kurumu was honest about things that most people tended to keep to themselves.

For example, she had walked Tsukune back to his dorm that evening, and he had been prepared to say goodbye. But Kurumu had told him quite plainly, "I want to sleep with you, Tsukune."

Tsukune had, of course, declined.

Kurumu had repeated her wish, although far more loudly than Tsukune was comfortable with. Not surprisingly, a few heads poked out of the other rooms, and fearing that Kurumu's presence might start a riot, Tsukune had quickly invited her in. Even then, he was convinced that he could talk her into going back to her own dorm.

But then Kurumu started to take off her clothes, and Tsukune was unable to stop her. He didn't dare touch her bare flesh, for fear of how his own body might react, and simply asking her to stop was just as ineffective. Tsukune at least managed to talk her into wearing one of his shirts to bed, but only on the condition that they both slept in the same bed, together, every night. In turn, he made her promise to always at least wear SOMETHING to bed, which she had pouted over.

"It's almost like you don't want to see me naked, Tsukune!" she'd complained.

"Kurumu-chan, what would you do if you saw ME undressed?" he'd asked.

"I'd undress and join you, so you wouldn't be lonely," Kurumu had replied with a sweet smile.

So Tsukune had woken up the following day the same way he feel asleep: with Kurumu's arm draped over his chest, and her face pressed into his neck. He was just amazed that she'd managed to keep her breasts away from his face all night, and even asked her about it once she woke up.

"Oh, don't be silly, Tsukune," she told him. "That was just a seduction tactic. Now that we're dating, I don't need to do anything so obvious. Of course, if you want me to, feel free to ask anytime!"

Tsukune realized that she was right: she was no longer trying to seduce him. It was just that Kurumu was very physically affectionate, and she never wanted Tsukune to doubt her feelings for him. She didn't mind kissing him in public. In fact, she told him quite simply, she would make love to him in public, if he really wanted her to. Tsukune assured her that it wasn't necessary (that is, once he managed to form complete sentences again).

It was a rather odd thing, to go from a girl with suppressed feelings to one with blatant ones. But it was nice to know exactly how Kurumu felt about him at all times, and that she wanted everyone to know they were a couple.

Unfortunately, Tsukune was pretty sure that Moka, Yukari, and Mizore had heard by now, and he'd wanted to be the first to tell them. Kurumu offered to help him do it, but none of the three girls were in the usual places that day. It worried Tsukune a great deal, but Kurumu told him that they just needed some time to cool off. After all, it was better than all three of them teaming up to try and hunt her down. Tsukune had to admit that was true, but he was still worried.

* * *

Youkai Academy hosted a number of rather unique clubs. One of these was the Forest and Agriculture Club. Curiously enough, it had once been known as the Forestry Society, and the Sylvans of Yesterday before that. This was because the club leader clashed with the Student Police Committee on a number of issues, including proper club names. But despite a long history of disagreements between the two, the club had never been permanently disbanded, nor had any of its members received any severe punishments from the school.

The club leader was a small, unassuming senior known only as Pan. He had white hair, an easy smile, and a peculiar skip in his step, but was quick to anger and absolutely ferocious in the protection of his club. It was rumored that the only reason Kuyou hadn't shut down the club for good was because he feared what Pan might do or become afterward.

The club currently met outside in a small, secluded clearing near the music room, where they could easily hear the band practicing.

Pan was in a good mood today. He was concerned about the new vampires, and had said as much, but did not allow that concern to show on his face. Chewing thoughtfully on the bunch of grapes in his hand, he turned to his most dependable follower and spoke.

"Minos. There will be a girl in my forest, later on. Go to her. Warn her. If she resists, you know what to do."

"Yes, Pan-sama," the tall boy said quietly. He took up the sledgehammer resting beside him with no apparent effort, and strode silently and quickly from the clearing.

Pan sighed and leaned back. "Eu-chan, sing something for me."

The girl at his side stiffed at once. She was heavily bandaged from head to toe, and the one eye that was exposed was dull and unmoving. "Me, Pan-sama? Wouldn't you rather have Soma-san sing for you? Her voice is much better than-"

"I didn't ask her, Eu-chan," Pan interrupted. "I asked you. You're the one I want to hear right now. So sing for me."

The girl glanced at Soma, who was as tall and imposing as Minos, but also just as gentle. Soma only nodded and gestured for her to begin.

Sighing, the girl took a deep breath and began to sing. It was not a voice that many humans would appreciate. It was scratchy with disuse, and aside from that, every note was filled with sorrow and pain.

But Soma merely closed her eyes, and Pan tapped his foot along with the twists and turns, obviously enjoying every second. Seeing that her friends were enjoying her song, the girl poured her heart and soul into it, which was all that Pan ever asked of her. Once she was done, she felt his hand lightly patting her head, and her heart soared.

"That was lovely, Eu-chan. I should have you sing more often. You do your fallen sisters proud."

* * *

Ren did not like to go around admitting it, but he was a hypocrite at heart. He saw nothing wrong with enchanting vulnerable young women, so long as he was the one doing it. In any other monster, he found it to be a disgusting and deplorable trait.

So when he came across Yukari in the hallway, being cornered by a musclebound idiot who thought she should be hopelessly in love with him, Ren couldn't help the irritation he felt.

"Come now, don't be shy, Yukari-chan," the idiot cooed as Ren approached him from behind. "It's okay to drool. In fact, I'll even let you feel my muscles. See how this one sparkles when the light catches it just right?" He pushed his heavily muscled arm towards her face.

Yukari grimaced and backed up a step. "No, thank you! Just leave me alone!"

"Just a little?"

"The lady isn't interested," Ren growled, grabbing the idiot's shoulder. "Back off." He was not shocked when the idiot turned around, revealing what even Ren had to admit to be a supremely gorgeous face. "Ah. You're an Adonis. That explains it."

"Sorry," the idiot said with a smirk, "but you're not really my type."

"I was just about to say the same to you," Ren replied. "Now get lost. She's spoken for."

Yukari quickly zipped around the Adonis and latched onto Ren's arm, much to his discomfort. "Yes! We're madly in love! He was my first!"

The Adonis frowned. "You're... spoiled?! Why didn't you say that from the start?" He turned away and strolled over to the next nearest girl, pushing his biceps at her.

Ren sighed and shook his arm loose, quite uncomfortable with the way that Yukari was gazing up at him. "What?"

"You... saved me!" Yukari gasped, clasping her hands together. "You're my hero!"

"Don't be silly. I only did it because Moka would expect me to. You are one of her... pets."

Yukari either didn't notice or didn't care about the insult. "You know, if you wanted my precious virginity as a reward, then I could-"

"Don't go there," Ren growled, shuddering slightly as he stalked away.

Giggling softly, Yukari skipped after him, her eyes dancing with delight. "You won't get away from me that easily!"

* * *

Karin felt the tension in the classroom the moment she walked through the door. Kurumu was perched on top of Tsukune's desk, swinging her legs as she talked to him. Nearly every other boy in the class was glaring death at Tsukune, but he seemed entirely focused on whatever Kurumu was saying. In fact, Karin could tell that despite his embarrassment, he was genuinely happy. But that did nothing to counter the feelings of all the unhappy people in the room, and seconds later, Karin was unable to prevent the torrent of blood that gushed out of her nose.

All activity in the classroom ground to a halt as the blood coated the floor, some desks, and quite a few students.

Nekonome blinked a few times before murmuring, "Maaka-san number two, perhaps you should go to the nur-"

Karin turned and ran from the room, panicked and embarrassed. Ren hadn't been in class, and even if he had, there was no way he would or could erase the memories of everyone there. They'd already known about her nosebleeds, so there would be no point, in his opinion.

But as she rounded the corner that led to the nearest restroom, Karin was startled to see that Tsukune and Kurumu were chasing after her, for some unknown reason. "Go away!" she cried. "Stop following me!"

Naturally, Tsukune had chosen the worst time to be understanding. "It's okay, Karin-san! You don't have to run away! We just want to help you!"

"Or capture you, if you're up to anything suspicious!" Kurumu added gleefully, which only made Karin run faster.

Karin ducked into the restroom and dove into one of the stalls, just seconds before Kurumu burst in after her. The two girls glared at each other for a moment, before Kurumu laughed nervously and offered Karin a box of tissue.

"Sorry. I guess you really did just have a little nosebleed..."

"There's nothing 'just' or 'little' about them," Karin snapped, wiping the blood from her face.

Kurumu frowned. "I was trying to make you feel better!"

"Then you're doing a really lousy job!"

"SHHH!!!" Kurumu hissed. "Keep it down! Tsukune will know it's not working if you keep shouting! I promised him I'd try to help you!"

Karin blinked, genuinely puzzled. "Why? Yesterday, you hated me."

Kurumu grinned proudly. "That was when I wasn't Tsukune's girlfriend. Now I am."

Karin scowled at her. "Well, great. Now I REALLY don't like you."

"What? Why?!" Kurumu demanded. "I'm being nice here! Unless... you're jealous! You want Tsukune for yourself, don't you?!"

"I don't care about you OR him right now!" Karin shouted. "I care about Moka, who you're both hurting by being together!"

Kurumu actually looked guilty, but only for an instant. "I'm not going to let anyone make me feel bad about that! We all had a fair chance with Tsukune! Moka even had a better shot than the rest of us, but she blew it! Tsukune chose me, so Moka and everyone else will just have to deal with it!"

"You don't even care, do you?" Karin asked softly. "Have you seen Mizore-san today? Of course not, because she's gone into hiding!"

Kurumu opened her mouth to argue, paused, and frowned. "She's ALWAYS going into hiding, though."

"But this time she's doing it while being severely depressed!"

"Okay, but... she likes hiding," Kurumu muttered uncomfortably. "So she's fine, right?"

"No, she isn't! And maybe you don't care, but I bet Tsukune would if he knew."

"That's not true at all," Tsukune said as he stepped into view behind Kurumu. "We both care about her."

"Tsukune!" Kurumu shrieked as she spun around. "H-How long were you there?"

"Since right after I heard Karin-san shout the first time. I thought you two might be fighting, instead of making up."

"I tried!" Kurumu insisted desperately. "She's the one that doesn't want to be friends! She hates me!"

"I know you did," Tsukune replied softly, slipping an arm around Kurumu's waist and squeezing her gently. "But I don't think Karin-san really hates you. I don't think any of Moka-san's friends are really capable of hatred."

"You'd be surprised," Karin muttered under her breath.

Tsukune frowned at her. "It isn't like we tried to hide our relationship, Karin-san. Actually, Kurumu-chan has been telling everyone that will listen about us. I wanted to tell Moka-san and Mizore-chan in person first, but that's impossible now. I'd still like to apologize, though, so if you know where they are, then-"

"I'm not telling you anything!" Karin interrupted. "Unlike you, I protect my friends from things that hurt them!"

"But that's the best time for friends to let other friends know they care!" Tsukune argued.

"I won't give you another chance to hurt a friend of Anju's. Do you have any idea how difficult it is for her to make a real friend? It isn't about how I feel, can't you see that? As Anju's big sister, I have to do everything I can to protect her friends! That includes keeping them away from anything that might drive them to harm themselves!"

Tsukune gaped at her. "Y-You mean... Mizore-chan tried to...?"

"I don't know," Karin admitted. "Moka didn't say. But I can't even take the chance, so just stay away from us! Especially if you really care about Mizore-san!" Karin shoved past them and ran out of the bathroom.

Kurumu started to follow, but Tsukune caught her hand. "Tsukune?" she asked uncertainly.

"I don't think Karin-san was lying," he said quietly. "I know Mizore-chan must be upset right now, and I still want to see her and explain things, but if that would only upset her more right now, it can wait. You know it's hard for her to listen to reason when she's angry. She's been betrayed before."

"A-Are you mad at me?" Kurumu asked nervously.

Tsukune stared at her. "Why would I be?"

"Because I said I'd convince Karin to be our friend, and I didn't. You're not going to break up with me, are you?"

He almost said that the very idea was silly. But Tsukune could see the genuine fear and uncertainty in Kurumu's eyes, and they bothered him a great deal. "No, of course not, Kurumu-chan. Why would you think that? I love you. Even if you did something wrong, I'd most likely just forgive you."

She smiled at him, but it was a small, sad one, and nowhere near as pretty as the one she usually gave him. "I know you love me, Tsukune. But you also love Moka, Mizore, and Yukari. I'm so afraid that you'll change your mind and choose one of them instead. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, and-"

Tsukune leaned forward and kissed her, ending her rant abruptly. Kurumu did not resist, so he slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. They stayed like that for several minutes, separating only when Kurumu broke the kiss and buried her face in Tsukune's chest.

"I need you to believe in me, Kurumu-chan. What can I do to convince you that I'd never leave you?"

"Honestly, Tsukune? Nothing. I know how you feel about the girls that are in your heart. You could never deny them anything that they needed, and they all need you, in their own way. I accepted that long before we started dating. I knew it would hurt me, and it does. But being with you is worth it. Still, there is something that would make me feel much better."

"Whatever you need, Kurumu-chan," Tsukune swore without thinking.

Kurumu smiled, reaching up to softly stroke his cheek. "I don't need it, but it's something I really want. I want something no other girl can take from me, or say they had. I want to be your first lover, Tsukune. Let me be your guide into the world of physical pleasure. I promise that you'll never regret it."

Tsukune stared at her, his mouth going dry. He had to admit that he'd thought of Kurumu that way before, thanks largely to the fact that she'd always encouraged him to. And now that Kurumu had asked it of him, he was finding it very hard to refuse. Really, there was no reason to. Kurumu was his girlfriend now, and he did love her. True, it would likely worsen the tension between he and the other girls, but he had no intention of punishing Kurumu for the sake of people outside of their relationship. That was the sort of thinking that had doomed his relationship with Moka on both their parts.

"I-I won't know what to do," he muttered, blushing and lowering his head. "I-I don't-"

"I'll teach you," Kurumu assured him with a smile. "That's half of the fun."

"Then... have you-?"

"No. I've been saving myself for my destined one. But it's a skill set that a succubus learns very early on, Tsukune."

He blinked. "How early, exactly?"

She giggled. "I'll tell you after."

"Why then?"

"Because then, you either won't care, or you won't have enough thought left in your head to take issue with it."

* * *

Anju had emerged from her deep slumber shortly after noon, only to find Mizore gradually clawing the bedsheets to shreds. "I lost it," was all she would whimper. The room itself offered no clues, as Mizore had torn it apart in her panic, and Moka was still returning things to their proper places as best she could.

"I don't know what she lost," Moka had admitted when Anju asked. "She won't say anything more."

Anju understood that even the average friend could only do so much, with so little to go on. But Mizore was Anju's only friend, and she was in desperate need. So despite Moka's protests, Anju had retraced her steps into the woods from the previous day, searching for whatever Mizore had lost. She had even left Boogie with Mizore, to offer what little comfort he could (Boogie hadn't liked that one bit, but Mizore found his attempts to escape her grasp somewhat amusing).

Somehow, Anju knew exactly what Mizore had lost the moment she saw it: a key chain with a snowman penlight attached to it, half-hidden in a clump of grass. It almost had to have been a gift from Tsukune, or Mizore wouldn't have cared about it at all.

Anju had just wrapped her fingers around the penlight when a foot came to rest beside her hand. It was a boy's foot, and not an especially large one. Yet there was a certain sense of weight about it, though it took Anju a moment to realize why. The boy's foot was only about six or seven inches long, but the indention in the grass surrounding it was nearly twice that, and strangely round, like a hoof.

"I'm sorry," was all he said, and in a blur of motion, he yanked out an enormous sledgehammer, seemingly out of thin air, and brought it crashing down where Anju had been a moment before.

Anju avoided the strike only because of the cloud of bats that surrounded her and tugged her aside. She did not bother to question who her attacker was, or why he was attacking her. All she knew was that she still hadn't fully recovered her strength, and that trying to handle this alone would be dangerous. She gave one of the bats a meaningful look, and it instantly streaked away, in search of her nearest sibling.

The boy picked up his hammer with one hand, staring at Anju with open curiosity. "If you surrender, I will end this quickly. You will barely feel anything."

Anju's gaze went to the hammer, and she imagined what a successful blow might feel like. "No."

"Very well."

The next strike came so fast and so close that the wind from it opened a small cut on Anju's cheek. It quickly became obvious to her that the first blow had been a warning. There was no other way to explain why his accuracy had improved so abruptly.

Backing away a good distance, Anju closed her eyes and clasped her hands together.

Assuming she had given up, the boy advanced, and very nearly got his head taken off by the ten foot tall teddy bear that suddenly burst from the ground and took a swipe at him with razor-sharp claws.

"Hans-kun, defend," Anju said quietly, and the bear backed up a few steps, placing itself directly in front of her.

"That is an impressive ability," the boy noted. "I suppose I cannot hold back any longer, either." His head bulged grotesquely for an instant, his dark hair thickening and sprouting up all over his face. He grew impossibly tall, until Anju found herself staring up at a minotaur that made her bear look like the toy that it had once been.

"I am Minos, a servant in Pan-sama's domain. I have been sent to destroy you."

"I do not wish to be destroyed," Anju pointed out, clutching at Hans' back.

"Then our battle will contin-"

"ANJU!!!"

All three turned as Karin crashed through the bushes, followed by Anju's bat. She took one look around and glared at the minotaur. "You! Why are you picking on Anju?! Leave her alone!"

Tsukune stumbled out of the bushes behind her. "I tried to tell you, Karin-san, this type of thing happens all the time around here..."

"And I told YOU to STOP FOLLOWING ME!" Karin snapped, stomping her foot.

"But-"

Minos grew annoyed with the interruption and swung his hammer, sending Tsukune and Karin running in opposite directions. Tsukune ended up near Anju, and nearly screamed when he noticed the huge bear looming over them.

"You shouldn't have come, Tsukune-san," Anju told him. "You're in danger here."

Tsukune smiled weakly. "It's okay, I'm used to bullies, so-"

"Not from him," Anju interrupted. "This situation is beyond our capabilities now. I will have to do something drastic." She turned towards Minos, who was advancing on Karin, and said, "Hans-kun, you know what to do."

The enormous bear sprang into action, darting past Minos and scooping up Karin as gently as if she were his cub. He turned and ran back towards Anju, taking a heavy blow from the sledgehammer on his back as he passed Minos, before depositing Karin safely between Anju and Tsukune.

Anju reached up to gently squeeze the bear's paw. "Thank you, Hans-kun. You can sleep now." With that, the bear vanished into thin air.

"Shouldn't you have kept him around?" Tsukune wondered aloud. "I thought he was our best chance at getting out of this unscathed."

Anju ignored him. "Onee-chan. I'll need to remove your rosario."

Tsukune and Karin exchanged matching expressions of worry, though for far different reasons: Tsukune, for fear of what that might mean, and Karin, from knowing exactly what it meant.

"Maybe you shouldn't," Tsukune began to say, his eyes wide with alarm, "if it's really that dangerous, then-"

"We must," Anju interrupted, sounding perfectly calm as she watched Minos stomp towards them. "Moka onee-sama would cry if you were hurt." With that, she reached up and tugged off Karin's red rosario.

The change was instant. Karin's eyes turned blood red, and matching wings burst from her back. With a feral roar, she leaped at Minos, who didn't even blink as he brought his hammer down in a perfect arc to crush Karin's skull. But a single flap of her wings took Karin out of the hammer's path, and straight into the minotaur's throat, which she bit into with a savagery that completely shocked Tsukune, sending blood flying everywhere.

"W-Why is she-?" he murmured.

"Onee-chan isn't like Moka onee-sama. She doesn't have two sides. There is only her, and her overriding instinct to share her blood at any cost. Being inside the school's barrier offers vampires extra protection in many ways, but she has never been quite like the rest of us. The barrier makes her weaker, and her blood reproduces far faster than it normally would. The rosario restrains her primal urge to share blood and reduces the rate at which her blood is reproduced. But removing the rosario automatically sends her into that primal state. Unfortunately, she is ruled by her instinct now, and has almost no control over what she does."

Tsukune swallowed hard as he watched Minos collapse heavily to the ground. The minotaur's body shrunk rapidly, returning to its human form. But Karin didn't let go until several seconds after that.

"Don't worry, he's only unconscious," Anju explained. "Onee-chan has never killed anyone. All she can do is alter their personality for an extended period."

"S-She's looking at us now, and she still looks mad," Tsukune stammered as Karin stalked towards them, making an odd hissing noise in her throat.

"Stay back, Tsukune-san," Anju instructed as she walked to meet Karin. "This is the part that's dangerous for you."

"But you can't possibly stop-"

"Onee-chan would never harm me. You, I'm not so sure about."

Tsukune stopped talking and ducked behind the nearest tree, hoping that Anju was right.

At first, Karin did not seem to recognize her sister, or even know she was there. It was only when she was about to pass Anju that Karin stopped and turned towards her.

"Onee-chan," Anju said quietly, holding out the red rosario. "We should leave now."

Karin blinked before slowly reaching out to take the rosario, attaching it to the chain around her neck. Instantly, her wings melted away, and the red glow faded from her eyes. She threw a guilty look at the former minotaur, and then glanced warily at Tsukune, who was still peeking from behind the tree.

"K-Karin-san?" he asked hesitantly. "Are you... you, again?"

She nodded, not saying a word.

"Go home, Tsukune-san," Anju said, taking her sister's hand and turning to leave.

"W-Wait!" Tsukune cried. "Are you going to see Moka-san and Mizore-chan?"

"Of course. Moka onee-sama is our sponsor, and Mizore-san is with her. But you are not welcome to visit at this time. No one is."

"But I-"

"Remember what I told you," Karin interrupted, shooting him a sharp look.

Anju motioned with her hand, and a small bat flew out of the trees, landing on Tsukune's arm and latching on tightly. "This little one will see you home safely. If you encounter danger, we will know and send help. Once you are back in your dorm, he will return to me."

Tsukune looked helplessly at the bat, which seemed to glower and dig its claws into his arm a little deeper, as punishment for not following Anju's orders. "O-Okay. But... could you at least tell Moka-san and Mizore-chan that whenever they're ready to talk, that I'd be glad to hear from them?"

Karin frowned but nodded. "We'll tell them. Now, please go."

Sighing, Tsukune turned and walked away, wincing as the bat "encouraged" him to walk faster every few steps.

"Anju, should you have done that?" Karin asked with concern. "I know you must still be tired from yesterday."

"It was necessary, for Moka onee-sama's peace of mind." Anju briefly patted her pocket, ensuring that the snowman penlight was still there. "Anyway, whatever happens, I'll be fine. I'm with you, and as long as we're here, you can protect me."

Karin smiled and squeezed her hand. "Yes, you're right. I forgot."

Anju nodded. "You really shouldn't, but I'll always remind you."

* * *

Kokoa had not liked the thought of the Maaka siblings staying with her family. They smelled different, they were weak, and worst of all, protecting them took up most of Moka's time. Kokoa was especially jealous of Anju and her closeness to Moka.

The thing was, even in her jealousy, Kokoa was determined to prove that she deserved Moka's affection, not Anju. That meant only doing things that would make Moka happy with her. And nothing would make Moka happier than knowing that Kokoa had sworn to protect the Maaka siblings as well.

Aside from that, Anju did have a few good points. She wasn't noisy, she kept to herself, and had taken to referring to Kokoa as "Kokoa onee-sama," something that gave Kokoa a strange sense of pride. But she didn't actually LIKE Anju or anything, as that would be silly and pointless. But of the three Maaka siblings, Anju was the only one that Kokoa deemed worthy of protection. Karin was too needy, requiring not only Moka constantly draining her blood, but also a specially customized rosario, which weren't easy to make. Ren was a pig, plain and simple.

Kokoa had outright refused to help Moka protect the Maakas. Secretly, though, she had been keeping an eye on Anju alone. Unfortunately, Anju was aware of that, if the bats that regularly dropped blood packets and snacks on Kokoa's head were any indicator.

However, Kokoa had decided that she would step in only if there was no other way for Anju to survive. She had very nearly intervened with the minotaur, but fortunately, Karin had been summoned. Once things were settled, there was no need for action on her part. Anju had purposely left the minotaur's memory unaltered, so he could go back to his leader and admit his failure.

Kokoa had no problem with that, not really. But when the boy began to show signs of waking up, she rushed him and planted an enormous mace in the center of his back. It was quite easy to hear the bones breaking over his screams.

"I don't care about the Maakas, so this isn't revenge," she told him. "But they are under Moka onee-sama's protection, and if they had been killed, it would be a stain on her reputation." Kokoa narrowed her eyes and pressed the mace deeper into the boy's broken back. "That, I can NEVER forgive."

But Kokoa was not completely without mercy. She only raised the mace once more, and the next time she brought it down, it was not meant to extend the boy's screams, but to silence them, for good.

* * *

As promised, Anju's bat left Tsukune the instant he was safely inside his room, escaping out of the open window. He was not so distracted by that as to miss the sight of Kurumu on his bed, naked except for the bed sheet wrapped around her body.

"I've been waiting for you, Tsukune. Did you forget what you promised me?"

"N-No, I was a little busy," he stammered. "Um, Kurumu-chan, are you really sure about-"

Kurumu smiled and beckoned him closer. "I don't have any doubts, Tsukune. You're my destined one. The only man worthy of receiving my love, and capable of giving it back in a way that could satisfy me. All I ever needed was you."

Tsukune swallowed hard as she reached out and stroked his arm. "Oh."

She giggled. "It's no fun being naked alone, Tsukune. You won't need those clothes for what I have planned, anyway."

* * *

Pan was one with the forest. He knew every event that went on in it, often before they even happened. He was aware of Minos' death the moment it happened, and it unsettled him.

Soma, always sensitive to her master's mood, felt the tension coming off of him at once. "What is it, Pan-sama?"

Sighing, Pan reached up and played with an errant strand of his white hair. "They've killed Minos."

Soma's face went blank for an instant, and then the calm rage descended upon her. "Please allow me to kill them, Pan-sama."

"I don't know if-"

"Please, Pan-sama."

Pan frowned. He intensely disliked being interrupted. It was the very reason he'd ripped out the left eye of the former club treasurer. But he understood that Soma was being consumed by her grief, and that she wasn't aware of her own rudeness. He would let it slide, this time. "Soma-chan," Pan said slowly, "you aren't thinking clearly. I understand that you want to avenge Minos, and I will certainly support you in that, but I must ask you to be patient."

Soma shook her head. "There is no point, Pan-sama. I cannot rest while my lover's blood cries out to me. I will do this now, with or without your support."

Something terrifying and ugly appeared briefly in Pan's eyes, but it passed quickly, and it took everything he had not to leap up and rip her throat out. "Get out," he hissed.

Nodding, Soma turned to leave, her human form melting away to expose her true body: that of a graceful centauress.

"Soma-san, please don't go!"

She paused, closing her eyes as the only other club member present rushed after her. "This is my choice, Euryale. To do anything less is a betrayal of Minos. I will either avenge him or join him. You must stay here, with Pan-sama. He will protect you."

"But-"

"Sit down, Eu-chan," Pan ordered, very nearly out of patience by then. "I want you to sing a song for poor Minos. It is only fitting."

"W-Will you stay, Soma-san? For the song?" Euryale asked hopefully.

Soma touched the smaller girl's shoulder lightly. "Not this time. But if I should die, feel free to sing it again. Any song good enough for Minos is fine for me."

* * *

While the rest of her family (immediate and extended, as it was) slept, Anju stared out of the window of Moka's room, going over the day's events.

Moka had not been pleased to learn of the attack on Anju, though she had admitted to being very puzzled over the reason. According to her, the Minos she knew of was a quiet boy with a small group of friends, and so far, they had never come into conflict with Moka, or the Newspaper Club. Minos suddenly wanting to hurt Anju simply made no sense at all. Moka was even more upset to hear that Tsukune had been on the scene, but only for a moment. Then she had ordered both Karin and Anju into bed, insisting that they had to be tired and needed their rest. Karin had fallen asleep at once, drained in every sense of the word. Anju had barely had time to return Mizore's snowman penlight before Moka picked her up and tucked her in beside Karin. The brief but heartfelt squeeze that Mizore gave Anju's hand was enough thanks, though.

Anju had remained awake, far too curious to sleep. Worried that Minos might spread the secret of Karin's rosario, she had eventually sent her bats to observe his movements. Only he hadn't been moving at all when they found him, and while she hadn't seen who had killed Minos, Anju had her suspicions. They only became stronger when her bats returned with one among them that was not under her command. She recognized him, of course, and he her, but neither said a word. He stayed only long enough to confirm that she was safe, and then had flown back into the night, no doubt to keep his mistress informed. Anju made sure to send a few bats after him, each carrying a packet of blood.

She had asked Kokoa more than once to simply admit to Moka that she was interested in their protection, as well. But Kokoa was stubborn and proud in all things, and insisted that Moka wouldn't trust her with the task. Anju understood that, but thought Moka was far more likely to simply be grateful for the help and do nothing. After all, caring for three vampires was a monumental task even for Moka, especially when Ren spent his nights in a random girl's dorm, and Karin's condition required so much extra attention. Anju tried not to be a burden, but knew that Moka worried for her more than the others, simply because of her age. It was almost amusing, since Anju was probably more intelligent than both of her siblings, at least when it came to restraining herself.

* * *

Ren liked to think he had a certain amount of control over his women. Nekonome certainly did what he told her, though as a teacher, she tended to ask why quite a bit. He didn't mind that so much, as he preferred a certain level of intelligence in his women, and being able to seduce them in spite of their brains was a credit to his charms.

But Yukari was quickly becoming a major annoyance, partially because she had too much brains, but mostly because Ren didn't even consider her one of his women. The problem came in convincing HER of that.

Ren couldn't seem to get away from her. She followed him around school, put love notes on his desk, and even broke into his locker so that she could leave him little presents. It started with heart-shaped chocolates, but quickly progressed to massage oils and baby clothes. Even worse, Ren couldn't make a clean break of it: he needed to be sure that Yukari's witch powers didn't somehow restore her altered memory, so he had to keep an eye on her, much as he hated doing so. Naturally, Yukari saw that as his being interested in her, and Ren had quickly grown accustomed to prying her off of him.

He finally demanded that Nekonome hide him at her place, which turned out to be an apartment complex located a few minutes from the school. Ren had thought he'd be in for some well deserved, comfortable sleep, as curling up in bed with Nekonome was far more relaxing than he'd first anticipated.

It was so nice, in fact, that when Ren awoke around three in the morning to find Yukari's naked form pressed firmly against his back, he decided to ignore her, pressed his face into Nekonome's hair, and quickly went back to sleep. He did not even make a scene when he woke up the next morning, and found Yukari's hand clamped around his genitals. Instead, he calmly shook Nekonome awake, and instructed her to give Yukari detention for the next century. When Nekonome pointed out that Yukari wouldn't be in school that long, Ren seriously considered turning the little witch into a vampire just so she could serve out the sentence.

* * *

Tsukune came awake violently in the middle of the night, half expecting to see a silver-haired Moka glaring at him from the foot of the bed. Instead, there was no one, and all he succeeded in doing was waking up Kurumu.

"Mmm... Tsukune?" Kurumu asked sleepily, tugging him back down beside her. "Can't you sleep?"

"Sorry, Kurumu-chan. I had a nightmare," Tsukune muttered.

"About Moka?" Kurumu sighed.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"You don't need to worry about her. I really think Moka will see that this is best for all of us."

"And if she doesn't?"

Kurumu smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. "Then you still shouldn't worry. You are my destined one, Tsukune. I would fight to protect you against any threat, even Moka."

"But you've never really beaten her before, Kurumu-chan."

"That doesn't matter. You're my boyfriend now. I can do anything, so long as you want to be with me."

Tsukune thought she was just thinking positive. He tended to forget that Kurumu was a succubus, or at least that she was capable of doing the same things that any other could. He could not really be blamed for this, for part of the lure of a succubus is that they distract from what they truly are. But that in no way changes what they are capable of.

There were many reasons why Kurumu asked to be Tsukune's lover. Among them was the fact that now that they had consummated their relationship, Kurumu was far stronger than she had ever been before. If someone threatened to take her mate, she would only become stronger. If they actually succeeded, then Kurumu wouldn't hesitate to respond with lethal force. That was how much it mattered to a succubus, to keep her mate. But it was also something that Kurumu feared a great deal.

She knew it was within her abilities to kill all of her friends, if it came to that. She knew it was something that Tsukune would never forgive. What she didn't know was whether she'd be able to stop herself.

**End of Part 2.**

* * *

**Next Chapter: Soma's Fury**

"You will die here," the centauress proclaimed, tightly gripping her spear.

Mizore blinked and glanced at Ren. "Did you dump her or something, after you slept with her?"

Ren bristled and glared at her. "I've never seen her before! I thought she was one of the people that you stalk."

Mizore shook her head. "You've already met all of the people that I stalk."

He snorted. "Perhaps, but it's not as if I pay attention to them."

"Then maybe you dumped a friend of hers?"

"Why are you assuming it's me that she's after?" Ren demanded.

"Well, one of us has a history of preying on and using women. The other one's me. And I feel like killing you half of the time myself, so..."


End file.
